Vulture poisoning in Sub-Saharan Africa and its implications for conservation planning: A systematic review

Vincent Raphael Nyirenda; Bimo Abraham Nkhata; Darius Phiri; Wilfred Nyirenda; Daniel Nyamphande Phiri; Mary Malasa; Matthew Smith Becker; Enala Mwase Tembo; Moses Amos Nyirenda; Twakundine Simpamba; Jacob Mwitwa; Chansa Chomba

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25126

Vulture poisoning in Sub-Saharan Africa and its implications for conservation planning: A systematic review

Heliyon. 2024 Jan 26;10(3):e25126. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25126. eCollection 2024 Feb 15.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Zoology and Aquatic Sciences, School of Natural Resources, The Copperbelt University, Jambo Drive, Riverside, P.O. Box 21692, Kitwe, Zambia.
² University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa.
³ Plant and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Resources, The Copperbelt University, Jambo Drive, Riverside, P.O. Box 21692, Kitwe, Zambia.
⁴ Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, The Copperbelt University, P.O. Box 21692, Ndola, Zambia.
⁵ BirdWatch Zambia, 25 Joseph Mwilwa Road, Rhodes Park, P.O. Box 33944, Lusaka, Zambia.
⁶ Zambia Carnivore Program, P.O. Box 80, Mfuwe, Zambia.
⁷ Department of Paraclinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
⁸ Worldwide Fund for Nature Conservation, Los Angeles Boulevard, P.O. Box 50551 RW, Long acres, Lusaka, Zambia.
⁹ Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Private Bag 1, Chilanga, Zambia.
¹⁰ Kapasa Makasa University, P.O. Box 480195, Chinsali, Zambia.
¹¹ Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mulungushi University, P.O. Box 80415, Kabwe, Zambia.

Abstract

The Old World Vultures (OWV), constituting 16 species primarily in Africa, Europe and Asia, are currently being driven to extinction mostly by anthropogenic activities, especially poisoning. The vulture losses from poisoning caused by human-related activities are en masse at a single mortality event-level and occur in complex social-ecological systems. There has been a growing body of knowledge on wildlife poisoning over the years. However, no review has been done to consolidate vulture poisoning studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with a social lens of conservation planning. Here we present a review of the vulture poisoning research by re-contextualizing the problem of vulture poisoning across SSA. We employed stepwise Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method to search for literature on vulture poisoning. The search yielded 211 studies which were trimmed to 55 after applying sets of eligibility criteria. Literature shows that efforts aimed at successful vulture conservation planning will require an understanding of the relational aspects of stakeholder social capital (assets) that are critical to the implementation of species recovery strategies. Strengthening relational social capital through multi-scale stakeholder evidence-based awareness creation and participation is necessary for addressing the African Vulture Crisis (AVC). Applying stakeholder social capital approaches to different vulture conservation scenarios at local, regional and international scales can enhance successful implementation of conservation strategies for the persistence of vultures in complex socio-ecological systems in African landscapes. Existing literature also showed the importance of stakeholder social capital as a countermeasure against vulture losses.

Keywords: African vulture crisis; Obligate carnivorous scavengers; Social change; Toxicity; Vulture conservation.